Ashes

Chapter 1

As morning approached, the central city church's Bell begins to roar through the buildings. Leaving its last ring that seemed prolonged more than usual. Slowly getting out of bed, frustrated but making sure I completely escape the sheets tangled amongst my body. Draping my feet onto the ground shivering as I feel the freezing wooden floor underneath. I stretch briefly as my night blouse drapes to my knees, slowly shuffling to the nearby kitchen to set up my morning coffee. Still struggling to place the needed materials into the coffee pot from tiredness, but I success the ending process. I turn away facing towards my wardrobe. 

I open the two dark oak door of my wardrobe, staring at my clothes debating what i should wear today. I didn't have work or any special planned for the day, Just some shopping and wandering around town. I stood and pondered to myself between a soft red dress that went down to my knee, or a long brown plaid dress. I finally choose the more eye catching red dress and along with a black coat and a little dressy hat. While confirming what to wear I start to undress my blouse, noticing my reflection to the mirror on my side. I wasn't the skinniest, I was more slim with slight curve. My hair was a light blonde that shun lightly from the morning sun. I noticed my eyes have been quite a strange color with the exotic hints of green, brown, and blue such as a hazel. Noticing the minutes pass by I return to the dress grabbing it as I pull it over my head and tugging the end to sit right, fixing some uneven parts as it looks settle as possible, zipping myself up to end the process. Grabbing a brush to fix my hair a bit I finish the look with the hat. I gasp onto my jacket pulling it over my arms and buttoning it half way down up. I walk to the window of my apartment too see the weather for the day, the black smoke of the factory billows puffing large and high filling the sky, but i make it out as a clear day, it shouldn't rain so i opt out on taking a umbrella with me. I grab my small white purse, and key too my apartment. Slowly placing my feet into my low heel shoes before I walk to my door opening it and looking behind ensuring it was locked.

Living on the third story of my apartment I dread to walk down the stairs. My neighbors love to try to strike a conversion with me whenever the see me, I wasn't really the talkative type so I try to ignore them as much as possible. I quickly scurry to the stair-weal, I make it to the door as i hear a door behind me open slowly. I quickly open the door and slide myself into the stairwell, peaking back through a small window on the door. Its my neighbor Tom, i swear he has a crush on me. He always tries to offer me to go to dinner with him or to a film, I feel bad always rejecting his offers. He is a factory worker long hours, painful job and he probably is lonely. I should at least make him feel special once. I snap back to reality, turning and walking down the flight of stairs. Hopping i don't run into the manger of the building, I'm late on rent and don't have all the money on me to pay right now. I hurry down the steps opening the door to the lobby slowly poking my head out to see if he was there. I see no one, I open the door fully walking out of the stairwell and walking straight to the side entrance. I always take the side entrance, it leads me straight into the alleyways avoiding the mass crowds of people and random droppings and tossing of the factories. I step out and take a soft breath in, trying to get the freshest breath of air i can have. I look up to the sun barely peeking through the large mass of clouds in the sky, not white fluffy clouds but black cloud of toxin from the over sized factories.

I start my walk to the morning market down by the peer, I always loved to go shopping but my job only pays after I complete a task fully. I was a writer for the city's daily paper, I wrote a section about the changes and advancements the world was having. But as of lately it's been a real standstill in revelation, The last thing I wrote about was the first mass production of cars. and the unreal cost of them as they were a grand . That was At-least a year of saving for the middle class. I lived with the lower class I don't even want to think of how long it would take for me to get a car, it's so needed in area like this, avoiding a lot of the toxic air would be so nice. I start to hear the boats shifting around in the sea making me snap back as I'm close to the market. The smell some would find horrid but I always loved it, it smells like life and in a way it relieves me of the toxin filled air not to far behind me.

I enter the market and pause for a second thinking of what i need to buy, i forgot to check before i left. I think i need at least Fresh eggs and milk i might grab some other things making my trip more worth the time. I stroll slowly through the filled market, people coming with thing off all sorts handmade jewelry and baskets too food and tools, i get to the vendor who is selling eggs i look at them and notice there pearl white shells and semi large oval shape and get a peckish smile as it's rare to get nice looking eggs out here, i ask for half-a-dozen he kindly picks up 6 putting them in a small bag asking me for 75 Cents, I hand him three quarters as i grab my eggs, gently bowing my head as a thank you. I keep walking down the rows of makeshift stalls looking for a Pint of milk to buy, i stubble across a stall full of nice beaded bracelets i shift my eyes through the rows of them before pausing on this one, red and black beaded bracelet, raising my head up asking for the price, the seller is a elderly woman she mumbles fifteen cents, i hand her a quarter grab the bracelet softly smile at her and walk away. I keep walking tell finally i get to a stall that is selling little jars of fresh milk. There is a shabby sign that read "one pint for two Dollars" i pull out a two dollar bill and wait for the old man running the stall to walk over from me and ask me how is my day. I simply reply "it's doing good so far" nodding my head giving a small smile and asking for a pint of milk handing him my money as he reaches for a soft metal jar full of milk handing it to me.